Sources at Audi AG say the German automaker has drawn up blueprints for a large range of high-performance electric vehicles to compete with Tesla Motors and rival companies in Germany.
Many analysts predict that sales for battery-powered cars will increase greatly by the end of the decade, according to CNBC.
Audi will soon release its first all-electric car. The vehicle is a battery-powered version of the company's R8 supercar, and includes a driving range of 280 miles. The car is set to be sold in Europe next year.
While the automaker has been showing different hybrid and all-electric concept cars since around 2009, its most recent blueprints provide a better chance of the cars being produced, Newsday reported.
"Germany's major carmakers all have their electric car plans ready in the drawer. They want to be prepared when demand accelerates," said Frank Schwope, analyst for Hanover-based NordLB, adding that development could take another five to seven years.
Audi's sources did not provide any details about the amount of models that are planned or the scale of production plans. However, they mentioned that one of the blueprints was drawn for an electric version of a new Q8 SUV, and that the company would use it to compete with Tesla's upcoming Model X.
The sources added that the company has a range target of almost 400 kilometers for all electric models it plans to build in the future, CNBC reported.
Business consultancy Frost & Sullivan said electric car sales are expected to grow from 180,000 globally last year to 2.7 million around the world by 2018. The consultancy stated this will take place as battery costs decline, more models are made available in the market and the number of charging stations increases.
Ulrich Hackenberg, development chief at Audi, said the automaker has been able to overcome range limits for its cars by halting on-board power consumption and improving the efficiency of the electric drivetrain, CNBC reported.
"Electric mobility is a key focus of our development strategy," he stated in March. "We are ideally prepared for the future with our strategic roadmap and a well-filled development pipeline."
